Turkey's Justice Ministry pushes 12th Justice Package to speed courts, adds harsh penalties

The Justice Ministry announced the 12th Justice Package, a legislative reform slated for parliamentary debate in early June 2026. Minister Akın Gürlek confirmed the package contains no changes to criminal execution (infaz) rules and no general amnesty.

The core aim is to accelerate lengthy trials and reduce the current backlog of about 12.5 million cases. Measures include expanding mediation and arbitration, introducing a “step‑wise appeal” system to bypass redundant court stages, and increasing the number of judges and prosecutors.

Family law will see faster resolution of contested divorces through mandatory mediation, while the package introduces tougher sanctions for juvenile offenders and criminalizes “IBAN rental” fraud, punishable by one to three years in prison, with harsher sentences if linked to fraud.

Business disputes will also be streamlined with simplified procedures and new arbitration rules, aiming to keep investors out of court corridors and in production.